Atlas shows why we build humaniform robots - we've already built a world for ourselves, and robots have to fit in. Atlas will be able to open a door, drive a car, and handle a fire hose, which is good, because it is being billed as replacing humans in high hazard areas such as nuclear power plant disasters.

If DARPA is funding Atlas development as a charitable act for the nuclear power industry, they should get on the same page, public relations-wise. I'm pretty sure there won't be any more nuclear accidents, right, industry spokespeople? And to be fair, they only happen once every 20 years, anyway.

And why else would DARPA fund a humaniform robot with a laser in its head?